ChiSox59

Tim Elko is a right handed bat, and had comparable numbers in AA and AAA to AV in the majors. And he’s like 8 months younger than AV. Tim Elko isn’t the answer. He also doesn’t even need to be added to the 40 man until Dec 2025. No reason pencil him in; he’ll likely get his chance next season anyway.

He’s nothing to get excited about and I dislike the arb estimate. I’d try to settle around $5M, and if he doesn’t like it non tender. They don’t have any better options though and signing someone comparable from the FA market will likely cost more.

Intriguing enough stats. I’d rather roll the dice on him than pay $5M for some shitty vet reliever.

The Sox paid Stassi the MLB min of $740k, btw.

I don’t see the harm in DLS. Need to eat innings rest of season in the pen, and if he looks solid in his audition, he’s controllable through 2026.

It appears Matt Thornton shrunk a few inches and now throws with his right arm.

Kick change. Great thread here from Brian Bannister. https://x.com/artofbaseball/status/1824870916259754194?s=46&t=ZsD-oMA2yHZYnWZDZsTK_w

If you could guarantee me that attaching Beni with Crochet meant JR would market the team for sale within the next 18 months, I’d gladly accept that. Unfortunately it doesn’t work that way, and doing so would be so fucking stupid that I refuse to believe it’s actually under real consideration.

It wouldn't have been terrible in hindsight, but he would have been blocked to start the season. The reality of the situation is the Sox aren't going to improve as a team until they start valuing defense, OBP and more athletic players. This is a big reason why moving on from Burger never bugged me. I did like the guy though. He's super easy to root for, and its obvious this fanbase appreciated him. I just don't think he is the type of player the Sox should be trying to acquired or hoard.

I mean, you had to play Eloy if he was healthy this season. So that means you're playing Burger at 3B where he is terrible if/when Moncada get's hurt, or you're playing him at 1B and sending your past #3 pick to the bench. Burger, AV and Eloy are far too similar to all be on the same roster. You can make an argument the Sox traded the wrong guy, but Eloy had negative trade value last summer, and the sox obviously were not ready to give up on AV.

Cheap DH offense on a team that already had a few DHs. Free swinging, low OBP, no glove, bad bodied RHH aren't going to help the Sox become a better team. Eder has not been good, but focusing on his 16 innings in AAA to conclude that is what he is moving forward is stupid.

How so? There was basically no scenario where Eloy was on the 2025 roster at $16.5M, and the O's aren't picking that option up even if he's Hank Aaron the next 6 weeks. Sox traded 2 months of Eloy. He may eventually put it together (well, stay healthy), but time with the Sox simply ran out because he was always hurt, and got expensive.

Jake Burger is not the solution to what ails this team. Trade hasn't aged well to date, but its not a trade that is going to sting long term.

Call me crazy, but I’d rather just roll with AV than Josh Bell. No reason you couldn’t hand both, tho.

I’d bet he’ll be on the staff tho. Bench coach perhaps. Obviously well respected in the org and by the players.

Booooooo

He did. I saw a follow up that he was dealing with calf tightness last night. Even without Colas, let Fletcher play RF over Sheets.

This. Its not really not that complicated. The Beni deal has obviously gone horribly. But people acting like the Sox can't afford to pay him $16M the next three seasons are just making excuses for the org. But I am moving on from this discussion because its mind numbingly stupid.

Curious to see if they make any roster moves today to get some of these worthless vets out of the way.

$15M was 7.5% of the Sox payroll as recently as 2 seasons ago.

He's had an OPS just under .800 since June 1. The defense has been terrible and the arm is awful, though I do think some of the former is just an effort problem. If Beni can OPS .750ish, he's a non terrible bottom of the order player. Obviously not what the Sox were looking for when the gave him 5/$75M. He was hurt for most of last season; not sure what the issue was in April/May this year other than just a brutal slump.

The AAV isn't a lot of money in the context of baseball. He isn't even a top 75 paid player in the league.

Yeah, I don't buy that. I guess we'll see what happens.

Its really not, though. Their payroll for next season will be around $50M as things stand right now (obviously will be higher with stop gap adds). It was 4x that 2 seasons ago. The Sox can afford Beni's mid tier contract just fine.

On the grandp scheme of things, Beni’s contract isn’t that bad. $16M is chump change in today’s game. If he can be the hitter hes been the last 2 months, put a little more effort in on D and play less against LHP, he can be a 1.5-2 war guy and be “worth” his pay the next couple seasons. Lots of ifs. But it’s not some albatross deal.